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Spending cuts shadow Obama meeting with tribes

FILE - In this Friday, Dec. 2, 2011 file photo, President Barack Obama listens as Hartford “Sonny” Black Eagle delivers remarks at the White House Tribal Nations Conference at the Interior Department in Washington. Native American tribal leaders are concerned that steady progress on their issues might be undermined if President Barack Obama and Congress make deep spending cuts in order to avoid the “fiscal cliff.” More than 500 tribal leaders were taking those concerns to the fourth White House Tribal Nations summit, which convenes Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012. Obama is scheduled to address the group in the afternoon. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hours after talking tough against Republicans in "fiscal cliff" negotiations, President Barack Obama and members of his Cabinet reassured hundreds of Native American leaders the administration's programs and efforts on their behalf would continue.

Obama ticked off a list of achievements by his administration on behalf of Native Americans and then spoke of improving America's roads and its infrastructure and expanding Native American small businesses.

"I've never been more hopeful about our chances," Obama said in a Wednesday afternoon speech to hundreds of Native American tribal leaders.

Earlier in the day, Obama had admonished congressional Republicans over their threat to agree to higher taxes and then seek spending cuts in the next debate over the government's borrowing limit.

"It's not a game I will play," Obama said at a speech to the Business Roundtable.

Obama did not discuss the fiscal cliff negotiations at the tribal summit, but more than 500 tribal leaders took their concerns about spending cuts that could go into effect to avoid the fiscal cliff to the summit.

Eight Cabinet members, led by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, addressed the leaders and other agency officials met with tribe leaders in closed meetings in a mid-day break.

The gathering "should send a loud and clear message to everyone that Barack Obama understands the importance of Indian Country and is committed to making sure we continue to make progress," Salazar said.

Kathleen Sebelius, Health and Human Services secretary, tried to reassure the tribes the administration is working to continue providing health care to them. With Navajo Code Talkers in the audience, she announced plans for Veterans Affairs to reimburse the Indian Health Service for treatment of Native American veterans.

Also in the morning session:

— Neal Wolin, deputy Treasury secretary, said his agency would release later in the day proposed guidance on taxing of income from tribal businesses and benefits such as housing, school clothes and burial aid that some tribes provide their members. Tribes have been insisting the assistance should be exempt under existing laws.

— Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsak announced a new agreement among several federal agencies to coordinate on land management regulations particularly as it relates to protecting sacred sites.

Tribal leaders have long pushed for better recognition of their status as sovereign nations and, by most accounts, the annual meetings on Obama's watch have led to improvements. But with Republicans and Democrats in a standoff over raising taxes and cutting spending, there is worry that those strides "will be set back when the first loose rock from the fiscal cliff comes tumbling down on Indian Country," said Jacqueline Pata, executive director of the National Congress of American Indians.

Two looming concerns, Pata said, are health care services and law enforcement. The tribal leaders were to hear later from the Justice Department.

The group's president, Jefferson Keel, reminded the government of its federal trust obligations to American Indian nations in a letter to congressional leadership that was endorsed by several tribes and Native American groups.

The summit follows intensified campaigns by some tribes and native groups to turn out Native American and Alaska Native voters as part of a multiracial, multiethnic coalition that helped Obama hold onto the Oval Office.

People who identified themselves as American Indians made up 1 percent of the electorate in this year's election, about the same as 2008, according to national exit polls. American Indians and Alaska Natives are about 1.7 percent of the population.

Exit polls showed Obama carried 52 percent of the American Indian vote, compared with 46 percent for Republican challenger Mitt Romney, although the totals could vary either way by 7 points or more because of the small group of voters.

Major policy decisions aren't made at the annual gathering held at the Interior Department. But 566 American Indian and Alaska Native leaders were invited for the chance to meet with senior agency leaders and raise their concerns in what are considered nation-to-nation discussions.

The National Congress of American Indians estimates that programs for American Indians could be reduced by 20 percent or more below 2010 spending levels if Congress fails to come up with a deal and automatic cuts go into effect.

Santa Clara Pueblo Gov. Walter Dasheno has a slew of topics to raise, including education, health care and putting more Native Americans on the federal bench and in senior government positions.

Dasheno's northern New Mexico community of 2,800 residents wants to build a clinic within the next five years, but he is unsure whether changes to Medicare and Medicaid and the stalemate on spending and taxes in Congress could dash residents' hopes.

"Indian people have never been in the forefront of receiving an equitable share of funds," Dasheno said.